Pulsed laser deposition of Co-based Tailored-Heusler alloys

• Published in: Applied surface science 2007-07, Vol.253 (19), p.8102-8106
• Main Authors: Grigorescu, C.E.A., Valerio, E., Monnereau, O., Tortet, L., Argeme, L., Pavelescu, G., Manea, S.A., Ducu, C., Malinovski, A., Trodahl, H.J., Bittar, A., Strickland, N., Notonier, R., Branford, W.R., Autric, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alloys; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Physics; Quaternary; Ternary
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2007.02.133

Thin films of nonstoichiometric Heusler alloys Co 2MnSb x Sn 1− x ( x = 0.2; 0.4; 0.6; 0.8) have been grown by pulsed laser deposition (double-target/double beam configuration) on Si (1 0 0) substrates using a KrF excimer laser ( λ = 248 nm, τ = 20 ns). The substrate temperature was held at 300 K in all experiments to prevent interface interdiffusion of the species. A comparison between the compositions of films and corresponding targets has been done through energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis showing a very satisfactory match. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging served to investigate the morphology of the films in order to determine the size and density of droplets which may influence the optical data. Optical conductivity derived from reflectivity measurements shows absorption onsets close to 1 eV, which corresponds to the onset of valence-to-conduction transitions in the minority spin bands theoretically predicted. The values of the saturation magnetisation measured at 300 K on the quaternary alloys are very close to those of ternary ones for which either half-metallic properties or high spin polarisation were theoretically predicted.